The best games developed by Santa Monica Studios

Twenty-five years ago, a new Sony studio opened in the Santa Monica suburbs to develop groundbreaking games for the PlayStation system. In the years since, Santa Monica Studio has established itself as a leading developer in the industry, renowned for its high-budget film titles that have delighted generations of gamers.

And while the studio hasn't released that many games — most of which have been in the God of War series — the consistent level of quality in their library speaks to a team that always goes above and beyond in its creative endeavors. Like the myth, Santa Monica Studios' very best work concerns the gods.

This list will not include games that were published or partially developed by Santa Monica Studios' external development team, including games from other studios such as Ready at Dawn and Thatgamecompany.

7 God of War: Ascension

An unnecessary origin story

The good news is that Santa Monica Studio has never released a bad game, and frankly, even their worst offering is still an extremely well-crafted experience. The main problem with God of War: Ascension is not its lack of quality but rather its damning inability to justify its own existence.

As far as video game prequels go, there is very little necessary narrative detail that this game fills into the larger God of War timeline. Add in a clunky multiplayer mode—because, hey, it was 2013, and every traditional single-player series needed a clunky multiplayer mode—and you've got a God of War game that's still fun to play but ultimately feels a little pointless.

6 Kinetics

The one that time forgot

Although Santa Monica Studio is best known for its God of War series, you might be surprised to know that the studio's very first title was a futuristic racing game called Kinetica. What sets the game apart is the fact that all drivers are not in vehicles but special Kinetic Suits that have wheels where hands and feet would normally be.

This leads to a unique visual style that still looks great despite being well over twenty years old. Add in tight controls and a pounding techno soundtrack, and you start to wonder why Santa Monica Studio never returned to Kinetica.

5 God of War 3

An exciting conclusion to the trilogy

Expectations couldn't be higher for God of War 3 – especially after the epic cliffhanger of the second game in the series. Add to this the fact that this would be the first God of War game developed for an HD console, meaning that the bar had been raised significantly for what Santa Monica Studio could showcase on the hardware.

Fortunately, God of War 3 delivered with an Olympus-crushing final chapter that never really takes its foot off the gas throughout its runtime. While the story may be on the thinner side compared to other games in the series, God of War 3 was still a more than worthy way to end Kratos' Greek-based quest for revenge.

4 God of War 2

The perfect Swansong for the PlayStation 2

While it would have been easy for Santa Monica Studio to jump to the brand new PlayStation 3 for the development of God of War 2, they instead decided to make one more experience on the hardware they had full control over. It's hard to argue against their decision, as God of War 2 is an absolute technical showcase for the PS2 while also being one of the best video game sequels ever made.

This adventure sees Kratos' hatred of the gods extend beyond Ares to nearly every Olympian as he embarks on an epic journey across the Isles of Creation to write about his own death. With some incredible set-pieces and some of the best weapons and magical abilities in the series, God of War 2 has remained a fan favorite for a reason.

3 God of War: Ragnarök

A complete saga

How do you follow up one of the most critically acclaimed video games of the modern era? Simple: you up the stakes of the plot by about a thousand percent, throw in a slew of memorable new allies and villains, and make Atreus a playable character.

And while God of War: Ragnarök sometimes falters under its own ambition, it's still remarkable that Santa Monica Studio was able to cram so much into one game without it completely falling apart. That's largely because the heart of the game revolves around Kratos and Atreus' relationship – and, of course, some of the most fluid combat in any game out there.

Special mention to God of War: Ragnarök Valhalla – an incredibly well done villainous DLC expansion that went above and beyond in both its additional plot elements and gameplay.

2 God of War (2005)

The game that put Santa Monica Studio on the map

Few could have anticipated the cultural impact that God of War would have when it launched on the PlayStation 2 in 2005. But this David Jaffe-helmed epic would go on to resonate with a generation of gamers seeking the kind of visceral action and cinematic scale that God of War reveled.

Telling the story of disgraced Spartan warrior Kratos seeking revenge against Ares, it's amazing how much God of War got right in its first outing. The story, pacing, puzzles, and set pieces are still some of the strongest in the entire series, not only laying the groundwork for what's to come, but asserting their own masterpiece status with full confidence.

1 God of War (2018)

The beginning of something new

After five years in the wilderness, God of War returned to PlayStation consoles in 2018 with a soft reboot that would take the world by storm. Every decision made for this new game – from giving Kratos a son to changing the mythological setting from Greek to Norse – did wonders to breathe new life into this series.

The beauty of this game's story lies in its simplicity. While there are still plenty of gods and monsters involved (and even a few dragons!), God of War (2018) focuses on the relationship between a father and son as they grieve the loss of the most important person in their lives. It's a sweeping tale of self-discovery that climbs all the way to the top of the mountain that is the God of War franchise.